Zambia Opposition Leader Hichilema Cleared To Run For President

Zambia’s main opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, has been officially nominated for the presidential election scheduled for August in Lusaka.

This comes as dozens of Zambians demanded change and food for thought.

Behind Hichilema, who had narrowly lost in 2016 and spent four months in prison for treason after contesting the result, opposition parties and activists have formed an alliance called the UPND Alliance for the Zambia We Want.

Zambia, which has enjoyed relative stability since its first multiparty election in 1991, will vote in presidential and parliamentary elections on August 12.

The southern African country of 17 million people is officially in default with its external debt is estimated at nearly 10 billion euros, half of which is held by private creditors.

This debt issue and the economic difficulties plaguing the country are expected to dominate the election, in which “HH”, as he is nicknamed by his supporters, at the head of the United Party for National Development (UPND), is expected to face the incumbent President Edgar Lungu.